Kunene Governor accused of favouritism

04 Jul 2014 14:40pm

OPUWO, 04 JUL (NAMPA)  The queen of the Veripaka Traditional Authority, Katjambia Tjambiru has slammed the Kunene Regional Governor for alleged favouritism after the regional head's refusal to attend a meeting of that traditional authority at the Etanga village.
Tjambiru told Nampa on Friday that there are some traditional leaders in that region who are clear favourites of Governor Josua //Hoebeb, while others are being kept at a safe distance.
Last week, the governor turned away people whom I sent to his office to deliver an invitation for him to attend a meeting at the Etanga village on 04 July this year, she explained.
She said this was also not the first time that //Hoebeb had refused to attend to problems and issues affecting communities under the Veripaka Traditional Authority of Etanga.
We wrote a lot of letters to the governor, but he always responded negatively and refused to attend any of our meetings, charged Tjambiru.
The queen said when //Hoebeb turned down the invitation to attend the planned meeting at Etanga, he claimed that he could not attend meetings of unrecognised traditional leaders. This was despite the fact that he had attended meetings of other unrecognised traditional leaders in this region in the past.
Despite the many serious problems which the community members are facing, the governor has chosen to turn a blind eye to all that, saying we should call a joint meeting with the recognised traditional authority of Kakurukouje, which is under the leadership of Vemui Tjambiru, noted Tjambiru.
Among the issues which were to be discussed was the issuing of livestock permits, which was allegedly stopped by the leadership of the Kakurukouje Traditional Authority; the alleged threats made against members of her community; as well as the issue of the recognition of the Veripaka Traditional Authority.
Approached for his side of the story, //Hoebeb told this agency that several letters had been addressed to his office, and he always responded to these letters promptly, addressing all the issues point-by-point.
I advised them to convene a joint meeting with the recognised traditional authority for me to be able to attend, as I am only able to attend to meetings in areas of traditional jurisdictions if the invitation is coming from the recognised traditional authority, he countered.
The governor added that his office cannot attend a meeting which is called by an unrecognised traditional authority in an area which falls under the jurisdiction of a recognised traditional authority, without the invitation coming from that particular recognised traditional authority.
I have explained this several times in letters which I sent to Lady Tjambiru. I even invited them to come to my office if they had issues as individuals or community members. I told them that I will look into their cases without favour or fear, and then advise them promptly, //Hoebeb continued.
He said the Office of the Governor is open for everyone, and he will give proper attention to any person who visits his office or brings an issue under his attention.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Kakurukouje Traditional Authority, Karungojo Muhenje told Nampa when contacted that they were not aware of any such meeting as they were not invited nor informed about it.
Muhenje agreed that the issuing of livestock permits was stopped, but mostly for the livestock of communities which were operating in their area of jurisdiction without their authorisation.
Traditional authorities like Otjikaoko and the Vita Royal House in Kunene were issuing unrecognised traditional leaders in our area of Etanga with books to issue livestock permits in our area of jurisdiction, and we stopped that.
We are still against it, he stressed.
Muhenje further stated that it was unfair for another traditional leadership to operate in their area of jurisdiction without obtaining any permission to do so.
(NAMPA)
TKK/JK/TK